Underneath the Moon
by alwaysaynever
Summary: Itachi had to assassinate everyone in that clan that night. He couldn't kill his brother but was there one more person he found difficult to get rid of? Spoilers up to latest manga chapter 403.


Disclaimer: If I owned Naruto, things would be _vastly _different.

Also, SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT please do not read this fic if you're not following the latest manga chapter. Don't say I didn't warn you. SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT

* * *

**Underneath the Moon**

I met you for the first time today. Your mother asked me to help her make your lunch. I made you usagi onigiri just because I thought it was cute. Sasuke agreed with me and I kept sneaking him onigiri every after one I made. I'm sure your mother noticed but she didn't say anything. I was really happy to do this for you, for a fiancé I've never met. But when I got to the ANBU training base I thought, oh my... you just might not be into cute things.

I walked among the older, taller, intimidating elites. There were lots of them but I didn't have such a hard time finding you. You were the youngest there, plus, you were sitting alone under a cherry tree and sleeping of all things. Your mother let go of my hand to shake you awake. And when you opened your eyes, I felt perturbed because I couldn't see anything in them. Just the reflection of your mother's smiling face and my own terrified one. But when your mother pushed me towards you and I shyly held out the bento box, you smiled.

And you grinned when you saw my usagi onigiri and you laughed when I told you they were supposed to be usagi onigiri and for the first time I didn't feel upset at my culinary failure because I made you smile. And I looked up at you, my fiance, and you looked down at me, your iinazuke, and we smiled at each other.

_She stared blindly at the Uchiwa in front of her, its red and white figure burning through her red and black eyes._

I became a Chuunin today. One of the proudest moments of my life and Sasuke had been given merit for being top of his class. Still you outshone the both of us because today you broke the news that you became ANBU captain. At thirteen. Your father was beside himself with pride but your mother... she looked strange to me. As if she wanted to be proud but couldn't bring herself to be. Sasuke just looked somewhere between disappointed and proud of you. And you marched through the long line of Uchiha - genius among the geniuses - you endured their stares upon you. I wonder how...

You approached me later that day, just as the sun was setting. I was sitting beneath a sakura tree rebandaging my wounds. "Does it still hurt?" you ask quietly and drop down next to me.

"A little," I laughed, embarrassed. "I really hate senbon attacks."

"I'm sorry I couldn't be there with you today," you frowned.

So I assure you hurriedly, "Oh no, not at all. I'm being a baby... I want you to know how proud we are of you. It's such an honor to be part of ANBU and now that you're captain... Sasuke and I will both try our best!"

Then there was silence. But I could almost hear you struggling to compose words.

"Why... why is it that everyone wants to be like me?"

I look up at you in surprise. "Because you're you. Genius of a clan of geniuses-"

"Uchiha." You cut me off harshly. "Yes I know, Uchiha Itachi of the great clan Uchiha. We always have to be the best. There is no 2nd place. Just being the strongest or being weak. But I wonder... I wonder how far they take it."

And I grew quiet because I grew scared of you. Of finding out more about you.

* * *

_The tears had begun to come as the echo of screams and footsteps pounded louder, closer. Why? Why did she have to be such a coward? She could have done something but instead she turned away from him, from her duty to him. If only she had done something... anything… then things might be different... But already a bitter, knowing smile twists her face. She knows it's too late. She can see him approaching._

* * *

I was sitting beneath the sakura tree again, its branches heavy with burden, shaking blooms and petals down carpeting the ground in pink litter. You plop down beside me in exhaustion, still in your ANBU uniform.

"I just came from father," you tell me even if I don't ask. "He wanted to be the first to know how it went of course."

"Of course," I echoed softly, completely understanding. It was your first A-class mission after all, he had a right to know. "How did it go?" I ask cautiously because I can see your face was studiously blank once more.

Before replying, you lift you left hand and hold it up against the watery sunlight. I could see it was shaking, and I could hear in your voice the reciprocating tremor. "That katana was heavier this time," you say in muted baritone. "The mission got... complicated. I had to use it."

You weren't speaking of your katana.

"I told the others about it and they all said how proud they were of me. It was expected of an Uchiha genius. Uchiha."

"I'm going to be part of your family someday." I don't know why I said that but I did. But you only smile gently and whisper,

"I know." The silence ate us up again, and ate up the space between us. You lay down on my lap and watched the pink petals come swirling down.

"I'd like it you know." You tell me, muted tone again as if you were confessing. "I'd like to introduce another Uchiha into our clan. I'd like children, wouldn't you?" And I can only nod in agreement because I think you just took the breath away from me. You echo my nod and continue, "But before that I want to make the Uchiha name mine, turn it into something other than what it is now. What's in a name? An entire history of a clan blinded by illusions of power. What if it's all in our name anyway? Is that why Sasuke turned out this way?"

"Itachi, I don't underst-"

You sit up suddenly and stare right at me, pinning me down in place. "When you become Uchiha, it won't be like this for you. When you're ready to have children, I would have turned this clan into something other than this." You break off and look at the distance and then you repeat. "Other than this."

* * *

_She was running that night, running and running towards a place, somewhere she could always feel safe. Somewhere she could always pretend, and listen to the lies he had spun as easily and adeptly as he weaved his genjutsu._

* * *

The autumn leaves were falling to the ground in showers of gold and umber when we had our first argument. These days almost every night you were holed up in those clan meetings held by our clan leader, your father. I had great respect for Fugaku-san, my own father says that he was taking our clan to the right direction, to the best direction. We had far too long been oppressed, taken for granted. Wasn't this what you meant? Wasn't this what you were thinking of for our clan?

"NO!"

That was the first time I heard you yell. Your vehemence echoed throughout the forest, echoed in my heart. Had I been blinded as well? You demand, was I now unseeing of the truth as well, like the rest of them.

How could you insult me? How could you insult our family? The fight that broke out between us was fierce, filled with a rage I couldn't describe, your disappointment I couldn't understand. Of course I would lose, of course you would win.

"I don't understand!" I screamed in frustration. "Aren't you our next leader? Wouldn't you want what's best for our family? For our future, Itachi?"

"What future?" You ask bitterly before releasing your hold on me and walking away. And I was left in the whirl of dead leaves.

* * *

_The sound of heavy footsteps splashing through puddles thicker than water came nearer, and she opened her crimson eyes. She watched his approach from beneath the cherry tree, her white katana ready in her hands. His face was hidden in the shadows. Hidden, probably blank as always, she mused bitterly while slipping a kunai from its holster in a silent whisper. Was he really insane, had she really not noticed? Was she really that big a fool? Betrayal made for a bitter taste in her mouth._

* * *

The sun had just set over the west, disappearing in a blood red death. The first screams came from the east. Someone's attacking the clan, my brother screamed as he came into the house. We must run. I stayed rooted to the spot. Who? I ask. A lone ANBU, a dog of the Hokage, a traitor, an Uchiha.

I gasped. Impossible.

But who else could it be? Who else would have that much power? My brother pushed me outside, told me to run as far as I could, away from the compound, away from the village. No one would help an Uchiha now. I stumbled outside, over the corpse of cousins and uncles and aunts. What should I do? Where do I go? As I ran past walls splattered with proud Uchiha blood, I knew there was only one place to go.

Beneath the cherry tree, in the place I had first met you, in a place of memories I treasured. In a place of your lies, that was where it would end.

"You had to make me chase you this far?" You ask quietly, while your katana dripped of my father's, my mother's, my brother's blood. I couldn't say anything, what was there to say? I raised my sword and prepared to fight. It was over so fast it was shameful. I could only cry in defeat and bitterness.

"I'm being selfish," You declare after a while. "I will burden you this one last time." A pause. A harsh breath. "I really wanted to change this clan with you. I really didn't want to do this."

"Like I would believe that you traitor!" I finally cried out. "You bastard, you murderer! Everyone said you were unstable, I guess I should have listened to them instead of wasting time with someone who would only betray--"

I gasped as you dropped down next to me, as the shadows moved and I could see your face, as I, finally, saw clearly. There was genuine anguish in your eyes. "You betrayed the village first," you whispered fiercely. "You betrayed ME first." Even as the scarlet of the Sharingan glared, I could see, I could see what it was you fought to hide. What burdens you had to go through. In the space of a heartbeat, I finally understand. My hands reached out of their own volition. I reached for you, as I should have done long ago. Reaching for your hand that held a kunai, I finally did my duty and helped you. I plunged the knife into myself.

"I'm sorry you had to be the one tasked to do this, Itachi." I whispered. "I'm sorry the burden fell to you, that you had to make such a difficult choice. I only pray you made the right one."

"I did." Was your answer and your vehemence echoed once again through my laboring heart.

I laugh shakily. "Yes, yes of course you did. You always will I suppose."

"This village is mine to protect. Mine to sacrifice for. Nothing means more to me, not even you."

That didn't make sense. There was one person who meant more to you than anything or anyone ever would. "Sa-sasuke-" I managed to whimper out.

"He is nothing you should be concerned about."

I close my eyes. Of course.

* * *

_Underneath the red moon, a clan meets it end, as well as the short time she had been allowed to be with him. With this also she knew, ends his own dreams for himself. Dreams she wished she had helped come true. Now all that was left for him was a life of unsung selflessness and for her, death. How poetic, she mused as she gazes into the sky above filled with cold stars that silently witness this last scene. She tried to say it one last time but all that came was a bloody cough, all that her laboring cough could manage. But shaking fingers went to unclasp the delicate line of silver around her neck. And pressed it to his chest, over his heart. She felt his fingers tremble even as he grasped hers. _

"_We'll meet again." He promised fervently._

_She wished she could respond but even now trying to remain conscious was an effort. So she whispered, her heart to his. "I'll be waiting." Darkness ate her vision and the last thing she was aware of was the sound of a sob escaping through gritted teeth._

* * *

I had been waiting for you until today. Beneath this cherry tree, I patiently waited for you to fulfill your promise. But it is something bittersweet, you came much too soon. Too soon for my wish. But not for yours. I know you've been praying for death. I smile as you approach, smile even more at your answering grin.

"Is your mission done, anata?" I ask.

"All that I could have done." You answer.

"You can finally rest?"

"For now."

* * *

Whaaii.. yey I'm done! Finally got off my arse and decided to write fanfiction instead of lazying around and just reading. LOL. If Itachi was OOC, that's deliberate. He's not the cold bastard he makes himself out to be after all. I feel sorry for him. And for his girlfriend. Yeah I know, I was all, WTF?? When Madara dropped that bomb. LOL. I'm not too happy with how this fic went but, meh…

I just hope I didn't make too many mistakes, grammar or otherwise.

Before you ask, here's the answer:

Up to the latest manga chapter, Itachi is now vindicated in regards to his former crimes, and dead apparently but I'm still waiting for the plot to revive him somehow, come one Kishi-sama!

Yes, Madara did say Itachi had a girlfriend. I know, I was in denial for so so long after reading that one line.

Yes, Itachi is kinda OOC if you're not following the manga. But I think I got his real personality pretty close. Kinda. I think.

His girlfriend is apparently an Uchiha as well, probably a distant cousin or something because he killed her as well.

Why didn't I mention her name? That's 'cause it wasn't mentioned in the manga and I felt kinda iffy naming her in case she comes up again in the next chapters.

What's up with the ending? It is kinda vague huh? Laughs. She's dead and he's dead and they said they'd meet again so it's your guess where they are right now.

You wanna know why Itachi didn't kill Sasuke? Or why he really killed his clan? What are you doing reading this? I thought I warned against spoilers??

Er, that's it I think…


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